Coast Guard rescues father and son off of boat taking on water in Lake Huron

Jul 31st, 2012 · Comments Off on Coast Guard rescues father and son off of boat taking on water in Lake Huron

CLEVELAND – The Coast Guard rescued a father and son who were aboard a boat taking on water in Lake Huron, three miles northwest of Tawas, Mich., Tuesday afternoon.

A rescue boatcrew aboard a 47-foot Motor Lifeboat from Coast Guard Station Tawas, in East Tawas, Mich., came to the aid of the boaters, aboard a 35-foot pleasure craft. The same boaters had contacted the Station Tawas radio watchstander earlier in the day, when they reported engine trouble. They were able to fix the problem on their own and did not require further Coast Guard assistance.

About two hours after the first communication, the same boaters reported they were taking on water. The Station Tawas MLB crew was already underway for training and diverted to assist.

Two members of the boatcrew removed the man and his son off their boat and onto the MLB. The two crewmembers, Petty Officers 3rd Class Jason Gregg and Jon Janz, then went aboard the boat with a P-6 dewatering pump and began dewatering the vessel. The two crewmembers also located the leak, a loose gasket in the enclosed engine space, and slowed the leak enough to get the boat to shore.

“The experience and seamanship of the crew today was critical to the successful execution of this case,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Maxwell Wienke, the coxswain aboard the rescue boat. “The two of them didn’t hesitate to go aboard the boat, locate the problem and secure the leak.”

The rescue boatcrew towed the vessel to Jerry’s Marina in Tawas.

The Coast Guard recommends all boaters to be adequately familiar with their vessel and thoroughly check for any problems prior to getting out on the water. The Coast Guard Auxiliary offers free vessel safety inspections at various times and places and upon request. To schedule a vessel safety check click here.

The Coast Guard also recommends all boaters to have a VHF-FM marine radio aboard their boat, as often times cell phone coverage can be unreliable on the water.